1. Field of the Invention
The invention, in general relates to a method and apparatus for incubating poultry eggs, and, more particularly, to the incubation of eggs placed in a predetermined disposition within a tray.
2. The State of the Art
It is generally known that for incubation, eggs are placed onto trays which are then inserted into single or multi-tier shelves or caddies. Several methods and apparatus aiming at providing efficient incubation processes have become known.
Thus, German Patent DE 4,407,407 discloses a method and an apparatus for the incubation of eggs, the method being practiced by placing, transporting, storing and incubating the eggs on an egg support. Until the hatched chicks are removed from the supports, the eggs are not manipulated in any way outside of the incubation container or machine.
The necessary turning of the eggs to simulate natural brooding is realized by a device acting from the exterior on the tray caddies and egg supports within the incubation machine. To this end, during incubation the egg supports are placed on the bottom of the incubation tray such that the eggs touch the tray without having any circumferential contact free with the egg receptacles. While the configuration of the egg receptacles generally resembles the shape of the eggs, the receptacles nevertheless cannot fully prevent independent rolling and tumbling of the eggs.
The primary purpose of the known structure is to avoid repeated manipulations of the eggs between the time they are placed on the egg supports and the time they are hatched in order to yield positive incubation results by this manner of storage, transport and incubation.
An essential drawback of the apparatus is that during incubation the eggs are not placed in an exact position and, as mentioned above, they may to some extent move and roll away from their incubation position, thereby adversely affecting the result of the incubation.